49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch can’t believe their luck.
They figured veteran 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo would latch on with another team at some point during NFL training camp, but the call never came. Jimmy G’s trade market didn’t materialize as he worked out on his own, rehabbing his surgically-repaired right shoulder. About a month ago, Lynch and Shanahan started floating the idea of keeping Garoppolo as a backup to Trey Lance. The franchise has made it a reality, as he returns on a restructured one-year deal worth $6.5 million with nearly $10 million in incentives, which was first reported Monday afternoon.
Once the final round of preseason games wrapped up last week and no notable quarterbacks went down due to injury, the pieces fell together for another year of the Jimmy G-49ers saga. Shanahan and Lynch spoke to reporters Tuesday, about an hour before the 1 p.m. PT 53-man roster cut deadline.
“It seems like everybody was waiting for us to cut (Garoppolo), to see how much they could get him for,” Shanahan said. “But once the last Saturday of preseason games happened and no one got injured, then Jimmy thought this was his best situation and what he’d like. That’s obviously why we’re so pumped, because it’s a better situation for the Niners. We love getting Jimmy. … When it was all said and done, it was pretty shocking to us. We thought it was a win-win for both sides.”
The 49ers were on the hook for a $26.9 million cap hit but it has been reduced to $8.9 million, according to Over the Cap, savings of about $18 million. The franchise is projected to have about $21 million of cap space in 2022.
Which begs the question: Would the 49ers rather have Jimmy G and cap space? Or released him in March and have a re-tooled offensive line? I think they’d take the latter, but it’s too late for that now. This was their best course of action as of Aug. 29.
Shanahan said he and Garoppolo discussed the idea of staying as Lance’s backup during the first week of training camp. Likewise, Lance was broached about the possibility weeks ago.
The coach and veteran QB were convinced he would find work elsewhere, but most of the musical chairs played out while he was recovering from March shoulder surgery. So, they kept him out of team meetings and off the practice fields, as Jimmy G made some public appearances on side fields throwing individually.
Garoppolo joined Shanahan’s system in 2017, so it’s not like he’s an familiar vet or an unproven rookie out of college. Shanahan doesn’t sound concerned about Jimmy getting team work in during training camp.
“We have zero worries about him not having a playbook,” Shanahan said. “I don’t have one either. We have zero worries about that. Putting him through a workout, he’s been doing that every single day. He goes through that out here. He’s been throwing with players at times, our rehab players. He’s been doing everything.
“There’s quarterbacks you sign off the couch. You look at Josh McCown, the guy was signed off the couch in Week 10 and he’s come in to play for people. That’s not at all our case. Jimmy’s been here, he’s been rehabbing, he’s in great shape. He’s ready to go.”
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As for any potential awkwardness between Garoppolo and Lance, Shanahan isn’t worried. The dynamics are clear and there is no doubting the pecking order – Lance will be the starter for Week 1 against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 11, Garoppolo will be No. 2 and Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy has made the roster as a surprise No. 3 quarterback following a strong camp.
“Trey was great,” Shanahan said. “There was no problems with it at all. I told him the same exact thing I told him Jimmy, why were doing it, the option to bring Jimmy back here in a backup-type deal. Jimmy knew that was his option. That was the only option, we told that to Trey also. Trey and Jimmy have a great relationship. Trey actually likes having Jimmy in the building. Trey is very grateful to how Jimmy was to him last year.”
While the roles will be reversed, Shanahan looks to last year’s NFC Championship run as evidence that Lance and Garoppolo can co-exist. Remember, Joe Montana and Steve Young were teammates for six years – many of them uneasy.
“I don’t think that affected us last year in that case,” Shanahan said of the perceived QB drama. “I think we preserved through a lot of stuff and tried to do what was best on the field. I don’t see any difference this year.”
Shanahan also said that adding Garoppolo wasn’t a sign of any potential doubts the team has in Lance handling the starting role.
“Competition always pushes people,” Shanahan said. “I don’t think Trey needs much pushing. This wasn’t anything, like, ‘Hey, our team has to get this.’ Or, ‘Our team has to do this for Trey.’ This was, ‘Oh my God, Jimmy Garoppolo’s available as a backup quarterback for us.’ That makes sense for him and it makes sense for us. What else is there to think about?”
